Thank you for the post, Jim. Climbs like that is what climbing is about. You guys succeeded to get the best experience out of that route, that's for sure. Not a happy end, but a true experience. Something you are proud to give your best and survive you know? Awesome posts on those other threads.

I’ve placed 1/4” x 1 1/2” buttonheads (not rivets…) while drilling on lead from a stance in Tuolumne in about 2.5 minutes. Not such a big deal if you’ve got your drilling system down and aren’t swinging a tack hammer. Being a little gripped helps too. But that’s not aid climbing…

Not sure what kind of bits Robbins was using. Anyone know?

From another post in this thread:

“It still baffles me how someone could stand in that position for 20 to 30 minutes while they drilled a bolt.”

I have sometimes used a quickie on lead and then re-drilled it and sunk a good one with a top rope, but, for example, those ladders on Prodigal are all "lead" spacing.
With good technique ample spacing is easy enough, or you can go with twin aiders and fifi hooks and pulling against your own pushing and the smug assurance that you are "traditional".

Is that directed at me? Would love to hear it in real life so I could knock some of your teeth out.
Did I imply I was afraid of a bolt ladder? My post is to find out how do FAists keep it so well spaced, since some (like me) do not find it that easy to clip the bolts without a huge reach (I would not be able to hammer sh#t while reaching like that). Not scared, curious.